“In a time of national crisis the Conservatives put politics before people."
New evidence at the Covid Inquiry has revealed that the former-education secretary Gavin Williamson rejected calls for masks in schools during the pandemic on the grounds of not wanting to “give an inch to unions”.
Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister at the time, gave Williamson his “full support in this approach” which trade unions have slammed as putting politics before people at a time of national crisis.
The revelations were made on Monday during the ongoing Covid Inquiry, and were quoted from a WhatsApp message from Simon Case to Dominic Cummings on 26 August, 2020.
It followed calls for masks in schools, at a time when face coverings were mandatory in numerous places in England like shops, NHS hospitals and public transport.
The evidence read: “Weeks ago, we recommended to PM that we create permissive guidance around masks, because we could foresee it was going to be a drama in Sept. Gavin discussed at a Covid cttee mtg. Because at that stage it was Unions pressing for masks (no science back-up), Gavin was in “no surrender” mode and didn’t want to give an inch to the unions, so said we should hold firm. PM gave him full support in this approach.”
This is despite the government’s own guidance, updated in July that year, which stated there was “some evidence” supporting wearing face coverings “particularly in poorly ventilated and crowded indoor spaces”, such as schools.
Trade unions have slammed the Tory Party following the revelations, blasting the government as “petty”, “vindictive” and putting lives at risk in the name of waging “a political vendetta”.
“Parents, pupils, school staff and the public will be horrified to learn that lives were put at risk because ministers were pursuing a petty political vendetta,” responded TUC General Secretary, Paul Nowak. “This can never happen again.”
The leader of the National Education Union, Daniel Kebede, said it was unsurprising that Williamson’s time as Education Secretary was “driven largely by pettiness”.
“Today’s revelation simply confirms what teachers and parents had always suspected – that Gavin Williamson prioritised point scoring over serious engagement with the representatives of hundreds of thousands of education workers about the best way of suppressing the spread of Covid-19 in schools,” said Kebede.
“Several weeks before this WhatsApp exchange, in July 2020, the NEU wrote to Williamson highlighting the role that masks could play in keeping Covid under control in schools and colleges.
“We also called for a review of the case for mandating their use in the light of developments in scientific opinion and practice elsewhere.”
Kebede added: “The Covid inquiry continues to expose a Government that was always behind the curve on the science, behind other UK nations on taking measures to protect the population, and failed to meet basic levels of competence in office.
“Those governing the country in future pandemics must do better.”
(Image credit: Number 10 – Creative Commons)
Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward, focusing on trade unions and environmental issues
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